Sewer cleaning machine



Jan. 29, 1963 K. J. KOLLMANN I 3,075,217

SEWER CLEANING MACHINE Filed Feb. 10, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet -1 INVENTOR. KARL I. KOLLI'JANN ATTORNEY Jan. 29, 1963 K. J. KOLLMANN SEWER CLEANING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 10, 1959 INVENTO R KARL :r. KOLLMANH" 4454 -2 ATTORNE Y Jan. 29, 1963 KOLLMANN 3,075,217

SEWER CLEANING MACHINE Filed Feb. 10, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 itilllll Liv/MW IN VEN TOR. KARL J. KOLLMANN ATTORNEY 3,075,217 Patented Jan. 29, 1963 ice 3,075,217 SEWER CLEANENG MACHINE Kari J. Kollmann, 3615 assafras St, Erie, Pa. Filed Feb. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 792,392 1 Claim. (fill. 15-19 33) This invention relates to sewer cleaning machines and, more particularly, to the type of sewer cleaning machine which drives a sewer snake for cleaning out a sewer pipe, feed line, industrial process line, boiler tube, or the like.

Sewer machines which were made according to previous designs were frequently heavy, cumbersome, poorly balanced, and inconvenient to operate. The present invention provides a sewer cleaning machine which is conveniently balanced and has a motor supported in an underslung manner to provide a lower center of gravity during operation. The clutch has an improved design wherein a greater angle of clutch cone is provided at the initial parts of the engaging function, the clutch cone having a smaller angle at the part of the cone which will force the clutch jaws to engage the snake. This causes a faster movement of the jaws during the initial movement of the clutch engaging lever and a more positive higher pressure on the clutch jaws during the final stages of the engaging pressure, thereby causing the clutch to hold the snake positively.

A built in Cordomatic or self-winding cord reel is provided for the electrical cord which makes it possible to have a long electrical cord available when needed but,

at the same time, having it conveniently stored for transportation. A built in manually operated cable fostage recording counter is provided in the machine for indicating the amount of cable used since men who use the machines often charge their customers by the length of cable which has been inserted into the sewer. A detachable service light is provided with an additional service outlet for plugging in auxiliaries or tools.

Permanently attached wheels with a frame formed at a convenient angle provide a convenient supporting cart for transporting the device and also provide a convenient stand for supporting the machine during operation. The hand engaging ends of the frame are flattened to provide a convenient grip and the ends are provided with rubber tips for holding the machine in operation and protecting the floor supporting the machine from being scratched during operation. The entire body of the machine can be made of aluminum to provide a light weight machine. The front of the machine is so designed that by removing two screws, the adapter can be removed and the clutch jaws can be changed and, therefore, the capacity of the machine can be changed.

It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to overcome the disadvantages in previous sewer cleaning machines and, more particularly, it is an object to provide a sewer cleaning machine which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and efiicient to use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sewer cleaning machine.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a sewer cleaning machine having the parts arranged in an improved manner in order to provide an improved balance of the machine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved frame in combination with a sewer cleaning machine.

Still yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved clutch mechanism in combination with a sewer cleaning machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved combination light and sewer cleaning machine.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an improved cord support for a sewer cleaning machine.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a sewer cleaning machine which is totally enclosed in body design, having all moving parts enclosed therein, to prevent injury to the operator, for neat appearance, and other reasons.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a sewer cleaning machine according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional side view of the machine shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detailed view of the clutch and drive assembly of the machine.

Now with more specific reference to thedrawings, a sewer machine It) is shown having a frame 11 with axles 12 having wheels 38 supported thereon. The frame 11 is bent at 14 between an upwardly and inwardly extending intermediate portion 15 and an upwardly extending portion 16. The frame 11 is bent at 20 to merge into a horizontally extending portion 18 and received in bosses 28, then extending rearwardly and downwardy with a portion 21 from a bent portion 19 to a portion 17 which again bends to a flattened hand grip engaging portion 22 which has rubber tip members 23 on the ends thereof. The horizontally extending portion 18 is received in the bosses 28 which are attached to a clutch housing 24 adjacent the center of gravity thereof by removable bolts 86.

The bosses 28, together with the frame members, can be removed from the housing 24. Thus, the frame 11 can be removed from the housing 24 for shipment and storage and the relation of the center of gravity of the motor and clutch makes the machine rest in a stable condition.

The housing 24 completely encloses the main body of the machine 10 and it has an opening 25 at the rear for receiving a cable receiving member 87 which is threadably attached to a tube 74. A front face 26 receives a front end shield 27 which terminates at the lower end in a belt guard 42. A removable light 29 is supported on the top of the machine 10 and covered with a light shield 29 and connected electrically by means of a cord 77 which is connected to a cord 78 having a plug 79 on the end thereof. The cord 78 is wound on a Cordomatic member 80 which is a self-rewinding reel. A convenience outlet plug 30 is also connected in parallel with the cord 7-8 as is the motor through a switch 32 which 0 has a starting handle 33 thereon and is supported on a boss 31 which is integral with the machine housing and, likewise, a similar plug is attached to the side of a boss 35 and a cable counter 34 is supported on the outer surface thereof.

The cable counter 34 is supported on the side of the machine 10 attached by means of the boss 35. A main clutch control lever 36 is attached to a cam 57. The lever 36 is rotatably supported on the machine 10 and is carried by a ball bearing 55 which has races 54 and 56 which allow the entire clutch assembly cone 66 to rotate with a pulley 40 when the clutch is engaged.

A motor 37 is supported on the machine frame 11 by means of bolts 81 which hold the motor 37 in place on the bottom of the machine frame 11. Wheels ss are supported on the axles and a brace plate 39 holds the frame 11 in rigid assembled position.

The pulley 4t is attached to a clutch cylinder 82 and rotates therewith. The clutch cylinder 82 is hollow and receives the tube 74 which in turn receives a snake 75 therein which extends through the entire machine 10. The pulley 40 receives a belt 41 and carries clutch jaws 44 which are received in slots 83. The motor 37 has a pulley 43 thereon which drives the pulley 40 through the belt 41 at a continuous rate. The jaws 44, are received in the slots 83 in the clutch cylinder 82. A head 88 is fixed to the clutch cylinder 82 by bolts 89.

Slots 50 receive levers 48 which are pivoted therein on pins 49 and the levers 48 are received in slots 45 in the clutch jaws 44. The clutch jaws 44 move inwardly and outwardly in the slots 83 in the clutch cylinder 82. The ends of the levers 48 are urged together by a tension spring 63 which is connected to the levers 48 at 6'4 and 65. Rollers 52 are supported on the distal ends of the levers 48 and they are journalled to the levers 48 at 53. The clutch jaws 44 have clutch faces 46 fastened thereto and are made of high friction material such as fiber brake lining material or the like.

A flange 68 is bolted to a flange 70 by means of bolts 69 on the housing 24 and held rigidly thereto. Follower rollers 58 are pivoted on bosses 59 at 6-1 by means of the bolts shown and grease fittings 61 provide lubrication for the bearings 55 and 95.

The clutch cone 66 has a steep or rapid rate of rise cam surface 67 and a lesser rate of rise came surface 84 so that when the lever 36 is first rotated to cause the cam 57 to ride down the follower roller 58 and urge the levers 48 apart, the levers 48 will move rapidly at first. Then, as the faces 46 engage the snake 75, the levers 48 will move outwardly at a lesser rate and with The embodiments of the invention in which an exclu sive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

A sewer cleaning machine comprising an elongated housing having a clutch assembly therein, said housing and clutch assembly being adapted to have a sewer snake disposed therethrough, two spaced tubular frame members, each said frame member having an axle disposed at one end generally perpendicular thereto and having a wheel thereon, each said frame member extending in a generally vertical plane generally parallel to the axis of said snake, one on each side thereof, said frame members extending generally upwardly and rearwardly from said axles, then generally horizontally, then downwardly and rearwardly at a first angle, and then downwardly and rearwardly at a second angle greater than said first angle to form two hand engaging portions, said tubular members having ground engaging means on the ends of said hand engaging portions, an elongated hollow boss fixed to each side of said housing and generally parallel thereto, said frame members extending through said bosses and being fixed thereto, and a motor adapted to rotate said snake through said clutch assembly, said motor being disposed below said horizontal parts of said frame members.

greater pressure due to the greater pressure of the levers 48 on the cam surface 67 to cause the jaws 44 to engage the snake more firmly. The bearing tubet74 rotates with the jaws 44 and it is journalled in a bearing 73. A snake cover 71 is in the form of a flexible tube with a rigid connection 85 which is firmly attached to the housing 24 by pins which areslidably received in holes in the connection 85. The snake 75 isrof the conventional spiral wire type shown for purposes of illustra- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 227,790 Johnson May 18, 1880 417,574 Mischke Dec. 17, 1889 791,027 Heupel May 30, 1905 1,407,235 Taylor Feb. 21, 1922 1,866,932 Holmes July 12, 1932 2,037,104 Yohn Apr. 14, 1936 2,201,733 Kollmann May 21, 1940 2,613,061 Hard Oct. 7, 1952 2,705,642 Chasar Apr. 5, 1955 2,886,273 Wachob May 12, 1959 

